Patience
Two recent experiences reached a head in the last little while. One work related, one relationship related. In each experience I spent time working and praying to help things come together. I was extremely excited about both opportunities and felt, when I prayed that the Lord was instructing me, guiding me and helping me to know the best things to do to reach the blessings/outcomes I yearned for. There came a point where I felt in both situations the need to then wait on others to make decisions. I had done all that I knew to do, all that I had been instructed to do and was them impressed with a certain word: patience. It is the feeling that came over me each time I prayed regarding both situations, in the interrim when others were making decisions that would affect me. The peaceful feeling supplemented by the word "patience" that kept floating in my head suggested to me that things would turn out just as I had hoped and worked for.
Then, one day I find out that the relationship is not headed where I had hoped. The next I am alerted that the job opportunity I had worked for had been given to someone else.
And somehow, I was excited! I wasn't sure why.
I started pondering this word-patience-and trying to figure out why the Spirit had whispered it to me if I wasn't going to be blessed with the outcome I hoped for.
I was reminded of an article by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (a beyond awesome article) called "Cast Not Away Therefore your Confidence." I read it and the verses that the title came from in Hebrews held the answer to that which I was trying to figure out!
Hebrews 10:35-36
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
So--my requirement was to maintain confidence throughout the duration of the test/experience. I did that--perhaps better with the work opp that with the relationship but, well nonetheless. Because I did so, I will be blessed with a reward. Here's the thing. I have need of patience, because now that I have done the Lord's will (seemingly to naught) I can be assured of the promise or reward. It is just my job to patiently await it! And we often assume that the reward for guidance is straightforward; opportunities like these teach us otherwise.
Every time the Lord gives us guidance it is to bless us. He wouldn't have guided me only to say-- well, good job for listening and working hard. But-no blessing for you. In fact, because I know he was with me each step of the way I have no need to doubt the experience and can know instead that the current outcome as well as future blessings are much better than the object I was striving for! The Lord does not taunt us with blessings we desire only to pull them out from under our noses. He instead blesses us with greater ones.
Then, one day I find out that the relationship is not headed where I had hoped. The next I am alerted that the job opportunity I had worked for had been given to someone else.
And somehow, I was excited! I wasn't sure why.
I started pondering this word-patience-and trying to figure out why the Spirit had whispered it to me if I wasn't going to be blessed with the outcome I hoped for.
I was reminded of an article by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (a beyond awesome article) called "Cast Not Away Therefore your Confidence." I read it and the verses that the title came from in Hebrews held the answer to that which I was trying to figure out!
Hebrews 10:35-36
"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise."
So--my requirement was to maintain confidence throughout the duration of the test/experience. I did that--perhaps better with the work opp that with the relationship but, well nonetheless. Because I did so, I will be blessed with a reward. Here's the thing. I have need of patience, because now that I have done the Lord's will (seemingly to naught) I can be assured of the promise or reward. It is just my job to patiently await it! And we often assume that the reward for guidance is straightforward; opportunities like these teach us otherwise.
Every time the Lord gives us guidance it is to bless us. He wouldn't have guided me only to say-- well, good job for listening and working hard. But-no blessing for you. In fact, because I know he was with me each step of the way I have no need to doubt the experience and can know instead that the current outcome as well as future blessings are much better than the object I was striving for! The Lord does not taunt us with blessings we desire only to pull them out from under our noses. He instead blesses us with greater ones.
posted by see-k-tee at 3:11 PM
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